Wire-stretcher.



\ N. ErJOHN SON.

WIRE STRETCHER.

' APPLICATION FILED APR. 8. 19l6. 1,209,448. Patented Dec.19,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- W. EIJOHN SON.

WIRE STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED APR-8,1916.

1 2095MB. Patented Dec. 19,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

ILLIAM :ronnson, or DALE, TEXAS.

WIRE-STRETGHER.

' ascents.

. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 19,, 1916.,

\ Application filed April 8, 1916. Serial No. 89,80

I To all whom it may concern;

Beit known that I, WILLIAM E. J oHNsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at I Dale, in the county of Caldwell and State of v '5 Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements .inWire-Stretchers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionofthe invention, such as Will enable others 'skiiied in the art no to which it appertains to make and use the same. y I

The invention relates toimpro'vements in wire stretchers. T

The object-of the present invention is to improve the construction of wire-,stretchers and to provide a simple, practical and comparatively inexpensive wire stretcher capable of stretching line wires and woven wire and adapted to draw the same across 99 the fence .posts and hold the wires under tension while the Wires are being stapled or otherwise secured to the posts without the v, provision of a separate anchoring post or other anchor.

I A further object of the invention is to provide a wire stretcher of this character which will also be adapted for drawing the ends of a broken wire together and for liolding the same while they are being spliced. ($9 With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and ,novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in r the accompanying drawings and pointed 33 out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit-or sacrificing any of the advanan tagesof the invention.

. In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective "view ofa wire stretcher constructed in accordance with this invention and shown in position for stretching woven fence wire. ie ifiig. 2 is an enlarged detail longltudinal sectional view illustrating .the construction of the ratchet mechanism. Fig. 3'is an enlarged end elevation partly in section of the construction for mounting the wlre stretcher on a fence post. Fig. 4-is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 5 is amenlarged detail plan view of the rear end of the ratchet bar showing one of the wire clamps. r Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, 1 designates an operating lever preferablv constructed of metal and consistng ofa single bar or piece of metal which is bent at one end on itself to form a loop 2 through which passes a ratchet bar 3 provided at one side with ratchet teeth 4 adapted to be engaged by a pawl 5 and a dog 6. The terminal 7 of the bar or piece of whloh the levenl is constructed is angularly bent and, 1s riveted or otherwise secured to the body portion of the lever 7 at a point intermediate of the ends thereof. The pawl 5 is pivoted intermediate of its ends in the outer end of the loop 2 by a suitable pivot 8 and its front arm or portion engages the teeth of the ratchet bar in advance of the'lever, while its rear arm 10 extends back of the lever and constitutes an operating handle to enable the pawl to be readily operated manually to disengage it from the ratchet bar when it is so desired to move the operating lever lvforwardly along the ratchet bar aftei an operation of the wire stretcher. The dog 6 is composed of two angle sides located at the upper and lower faces of the ratchet bar and 35 pivoted at their angles to links 9 which connect the pawl 6 with the lever, being pivoted to the latter at 11. The sides of the dog 6 are connected at their outer ends by a pin 12 or other suitable means'which is adapted to J0 engage with the teeth of the ratchet bar; When the lever 1 is oscillated, the dog and the pawl will alternately engage the teeth of the'ratchet bar and the lever will be advanced along theratchet bar from the front 5 to the rear portion thereof to stretch a fence wire or wire fencing. In stretching woven fence wire or wire fencing, a clamp comprising a pair of vertical clamping bars 14: is employed, the clamping bars being secured in engagement with the wires by suitable bolts 15 arranged at intervals and piercing the clamping bars. The clamp is connected by converging'links 16 with a'chain '17 or other suitable flexible, connection. The links 16 consist of rods provided at their ends with eyes and linked into eye bolts 18 at their outer ends and into a connecting ring 19 at their inner ends which ring is also detachably engaged by. a book 20 of the 119 I chain 17. The chain 17 is also provided at its rear end with a hook 21 adapted to en gage a perforation 22 of a connecting bar or link 23 which is pivoted at its rear end at 24 to the lever, the rear portion of the connecting bar being preferably bifurcated to straddle the lever as shown. The connecting bar also carries a wire clamp 26 consisting of a cam lever and a fixed jaw 27 to e'nablea single wire to be connected with the. wire stretcher. The rear end of the ratchet bar is provided with a similar wire clamp 28 coacting with a rigid jaw 29,and adapted to engage a single wire, the two clamps being employed when the wire stretcher is used for drawin the ends of a broken wire together for ena ling the same to be spliced.'

The ratchet bar is equipped at its ends with rigid arms 30 having spaced parallel engaging portions 31 and lnclined converging portions 32, the adjacent terminals of which are bent into parallelism and secured tothe opposite faces ofthe front end of the ratchet bar. The arms 30 are preferably supported by a vertical brace 34 and the engaged portions 31 are provided with teeth f35 ada ted to engage a post 36 at one side ,thereo the other side of the. post being engaged by a lever 37 preferably approximately L-shaped and pivoted at its angle at 38 between laterally projecting supporting arms 39 fixed to the upper and lower faces of the front end of the ratchet bar. The pivot 38 is removable and the supporting arms 39 are rovided with a plurality of registering per orations 40 adapted to receive thepin or pivot 38 to enable the angle lever 37 to be arranged different distances from the ratchet bar for engaging posts-of diiierent sizes.

The front engaglng arrn of the lever 37 is rovided with a tooth 41 and the rear arm is connected by a pair of links 42 with an operating lever 43. i The rear arm of the post engaging leve 37 is provided with a plurality of perforations 44 which are adapted to receive the pivot 45 for connecting the links 42 adjustably to the post engaging lever to-s'ecure the desired gripping action-and to enable the operating lever to be adjusted with relation to the post engaging lever when the latter is changed in its position on the laterally projecting arm 40 to suit the size of the post to be clamped.

The lever 43 is fulcrumed by a suitable pivot 46 between a pair of projecting p ates 48 secured to and extending across the ratchet bar and provided at the toothed side thereof with curved extensions 49 which are adapted to form a guide for the chain 17 The lever 43 is also connected by a suitable pivot 46 to the rear end of the links 42 and it is adapted to be swung inwardly against the smooth edge of the, ratchet bar to engage the lever 37 with the post. The lever 43 for operating the post engaging means is adapted to extend through the loop of the operating lever 1 and it is retained in substantial alinement with the links by the operating lever 1 which prevents the lever 43 from swinging outwardly and releasing the wire stretcher from its engagement with the fence post.

When the post is gripped between the fixed arms 30 and the lever 37, the wire stretcher is securely mounted on the post in proper position for stretching a plurality of fence wires which may be drawn past the post and held while the fence wires or woven wire fencing .is being stapled or otherwise secured to the post.

What is claimed is 1. A wirestretcher of the class described including a bar, rigid arms composed of spaced engaging portions provided with teeth for engaging a fence post at one side thereof, said arms being also provided with converging portions secured to the said bar at a point intermediate of the ends thereof a brace located at one end of the bar an connecting the said arms, a pivoted lever for engaging the opposite side ofthe post and means for operating-the said lever.

2. A wire stretcher ofthe class described '7 including a bar provided with fixed means for engaging one side of a fence post, laterally projecting supporting means extending from the bar, "an angle lever fulcrinned intermediate of its ends on the said supporting meansand provided at one of its aims with means for engaging the other side of the fence post and operating means connected with the other arm of the lever.

3. A wire stretcher of the class described including a bar provided with fixed means for engaging one side of a fence post, laterally projecting supporting means extend-- ing from the bar, an angle lever fulcrumed intermediate of its ends on the said supporting means and provided at one of its arms with means for engaging the other side of the fence post, an operating lever pivotally connected with the said bar, and a lever.

movable along the bar and having a loop receiving the said operating lever.

4. A wire stretcher of the class described including a ratchet bar provided with ratchet teeth, spaced rigid arms provided with teeth for engaging one side of a fence post and having converging portions secured to the ratchet bar between the ends thereof, a brace located at one end of the ratchet bar connecting the said arms, plates extending from ..the said bar, at-the end thereof adjacent to the said brace, an angle lever pivotally mounted between the said plates and provided with front and rear arms, the front arm having means for'engaging the other side of the fence post, an operating lever or member connected with the said lever at rear arm thereof and means carried by the arranged to engage the other side of the fence post and an operating member connected with the other arm of the angle lever and extending through the loop of the operating lever.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature I in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM E. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

T. B. MONROE, S. R. GRAVES. 

